Improvement in fans



KAT-E ROBISON.

FAN. No 175 257. Patented March 28,1875..

WITN ESSES y IIIVENTOR 1 dr ATTO R N EY N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES- PATEN'I' FFroE.

KATE ROBISYON, OF `WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT. IN FANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,257, dated March 2S, 1876; application filed i February 21, 1876. l

To all whom it may concern Beitkuown that I, KATE ROBISON, of Washington, in the county/"of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Fans; and I d6 hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part ot' this specification, and to the letters and iigures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a plan view of my improved handle applied to a fan. Fig. 2 is au edge view thereof. Fig.

3 is a vertical sectional view, and Fig. 4 is a top view ofthe handle, showing the catches c.

This invention has relation to improvements in fans. The object of the invention is to provide means whereby a holder may be applied to a folding fan; also, to utilize the holder as a receptacle for perfumes, the salts of ammonia, and other disinfectant or aromatic odors. To this end the, nature oi' the invention consists in the combination, with a folding fan, of a handle having a shallow recess in its upper end with two opposite vertical walls and two opposite inclined walls and a pivot passing through the'vertical walls of the said recess and the ends ot' the fan-sticks, whereby the fan is allowed to be open or closed, while its sticks are prevented from relative lateral displacement, and a convenient hold for the hand isobtained. It also consists in making this handle hollow for the reception of a sponge-like substance for holding the perfume, which, escaping upward through the open upper end of the handle, will be given oil in gentle currents during the waving of the fan, spreading grateful odors upon the air. It also consists in combining with a folding fan and its handle a springcatch adapted to receive the end blades of the fan, whereby the latter w'ill be held open and prevented from casual folding when in use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. In the annexed drawings, the letter A designates an ordinary folding fan, in connection with which I propose to illustrate my invention. B is the handle, having on its upper end an oblong recess, a, having two opposite vertical walls, t', and two opposite flaring or inof the fan-blades.

tween the vertical walls z' of said recess.

clined walls, i', within which is seated and conned, by means of a pivot, b, the lower end This pivot passes through registering perforations in the walls ofthe recess, and in the fan-blades, in a line at right angles to the length of the recess and at the middle thereof. By this means the fan will be allowed to unfold freely, but the sticks thereof will be held aga-inst lateral displacement, being clamped together, as it were, be-

In order to hold it unfolded the recess will be provided with spring-catches c arranged one at each end, engaging with which the end blades l of the fan will be firmly held, thus eifectively accomplishing the desired result. The fan may now be used without fear of collapsing, and the handle affording a smooth even surface for the hand will permit it to be operated with ease and comfort. Recess a communicates with the lower tubular portion of the handle by means of perforations or ducts d, and the walls of the same are provided with spaced apertures c, through which the perfumes will have a ready escape into the air. U represents a porous material, as sponge, felt, or pumice-stone, which is arranged in the hollow of the handle upon a needle, f, rising out of an end piece, g, which is screwed or otherwise detachably secured' to the open lower end of the handle, as shown in Fig. 3. This sponge is designed as arecipient of the perfume, which will be poured thereon preferably before its insertion into the handle, and during the ope-ration of the fan will give oi' gentle currents of odor through ducts d and perforations e to the surrounding air. In practice the sponge will be sometimes placed in the holder without a supportingneedle, and I shall generally use a tubular core, g, of thin metal, where the perfume or disinfectant is of a corrosive nature or would be liable to stain or deface the material of which the handle is made. This handle-may be made of wood, ivory, bone, or metal, or of any combination thereof; also, of papiermache, rubber, or of any other suitable substance. It may also be made in any degree of ornamention, and of any shape or dimensions which I may deem most convenient or expedient. The end of the handle B will be provided with an eye, j, or other like attachment by which the fan may be suspended from the person by a chatelaine.

What I claim as new, and desire -to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a folding fan, the handle B, having a recess, a, in its upper end, with vertical walls z and aring walls i', and pivot b, passing through the said vertical walls and the ends of the fan-sticks, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a folding fan and its handle, of the spring-catches c, for holding the said fan open, substantially as specified.

3. The handle B, having recess a in its upper end, with educts e at and below the pivoted ends of the fan, a perfume-receptacle in its lower end, and ducts or passages d connecting the said recess and chamber, substantially as specified.

KATE ROBISON. Witnesses:

FRANCIS J. MASI, WALTER C. MASI. 

